1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of digital medical imagery and in particular to maximizing the contrast and brightness of an image transparently via a window-based graphic user interface tool that performs window and leveling functions based on a histogram of the raw image data in a region of interest presented at a medical imagery workstation.
2.Related Technology
Typical methods utilized to display and process diagnostic medical images for viewing at a workstation comprise the following: providing predefined default windowing and leveling values which are set up by a system manager; providing manual contrast and brightness control over the entire viewing area of a monitor using a pair of built-in dials; providing flip and rotate functions which are manually controlled through trackball/button selection of an on-screen icon; providing window/leveling values which are manually set by a mouse or trackball for individual windows wherein each window contains an image; providing continuous zoom within a window and a roam function to move the image within the window, or by stretching the window resulting in a magnified but not warped image; and providing user preference settings allowing the operator to predefine the window and level values.
Window and leveling parameters should be adaptable to different diagnostic tasks and to radiologist preferences. For example., the physician may desire to focus on a specific area within an image such as the lung area in a chest x-ray. Typically, selection &window and level values is performed by an apparatus or method which enables an operator to manually adjust window and level values within a particular area of interest. This manual method is however overly tedious and time consuming, especially when a user must select and readjust the window and level settings for each area of interest separately.
Moreover, in many instances, requirements for viewing medical imagery are time critical. Surgery may be necessary for immediate diagnosis. Time is of the essence in these circumstances, especially when human life is at stake. The pressure and associated tensions induced in medical diagnostic imagery technicians can be high. There is no room however for mistake or delay. It is thus necessary to have a rapid yet simple user interface available to technicians to enable users to rapidly manipulate medical imagery. Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus that rapidly yet transparently manipulates defined areas of an image and adjust window and level values to produce the highest possible fidelity and dynamic range, providing a superior display and analysis tool for the physician. Such a process would increase the speed at which medical diagnostic images could be made ready for delivery and diagnosis, as well as minimize human intervention and thereby reduce unnecessary operator errors.